PUMA successfully leverages milestone, Nike's global plan to create positive business momentum
PUMA successfully leverages milestone, Nike's global plan to create positive business momentum
Today’s lineup:
PUMA has successfully leveraged its high-profile athlete sponsorship with Collingwood FC star Scott Pendlebury this week
Nike is rolling-out their ‘Winning Isn’t For Everyone’ campaign in Australia as part of a broader, global plan to create some positive business momentum
Not yet a subscriber? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.
Rugby Australia announced Qatar Airways as the title partner for the British and Irish Lions’ 2025 Australia tour
Swisse launched a new Olympics campaign in partnership with The Inspired Unemployed (via AMPR) called ‘HERE FOR IT MATE’ to leverage their partnership of the Australian Olympic Committee
The South Sydney Rabbitohs and TAFE NSW announced the launch of the ‘Rabbitohs Institute of Sports Management, powered by TAFE NSW’
The NRL has plans to approach NFL Super Bowl legend Tom Brady about a commentary role during next season’s Las Vegas season opener
Southern Cross Austereo and Cricket Australia extended their broadcast rights for the next 7 x seasons - Triple M and LiSTNR will broadcast all Australian men’s internationals games played in Australia
Hit Network’s Fifi, Fev & Nick took team of kids who had been excluded from sports due to bullying, and gave them a footy experience at Marvel Stadium they’ll never forget (video below)
The Penrith Panthers announced the club’s entry into the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership from the 2025 season
The AFL announced a new all-time AFL Club membership record of 1,268,403 members (YTD) surpassing the record of 1,198,833 (+6%) that was set in 2023
AFL participation also set a new record, with 528k+ registered participants in 2024, breaking the AFL's all-time record of 526k+ last year
A record 331,841 fans attended The Suncorp Super Netball home & away season (+25% from last year)
INTIX became the exclusive ticketing supplier for all Football Victoria managed events and the preferred supplier for La Trobe Uni’s Home of the Matilda's
As part of a 10-year strategic partnership TGI Sport and the AFL launched ‘Lumen8 Media’ - an agency that will manage the commercial rights and sales of match day LED signage at Marvel Stadium and the MCG
The International Olympic Committee generated US$902m in revenue for FY23, and has already secured US$7.3b in revenue for the 2025 - 2028 Olympiad cycle and US$6.2b for the 2029-2032 period
PUMA has successfully leveraged its high-profile athlete sponsorship with Collingwood Football Club star Scott Pendlebury this week
To mark his amazing feat of becoming just the 6th player in AFL history to play 400 games this Saturday and to announce a contract extension, Scott Pendlebury fronted the media… and PUMA successfully joined the party.
Pendlebury is one of PUMA’s high-profile sponsored athletes, and his upcoming milestone achievement created a key opportunity for PUMA to leverage its partnership
To do this they joined forces with Bursty to creatively integrate into the news.
What they did:
Activated a PUMA-branded outdoor billboard (via oOh!media) that used tally marks to help visualise the enormity of Pendlebury’s 400-game achievement - this served as the backdrop to the press conference
A pair of custom PUMA boots were presented to Pendlebury in front of the camera's by fellow Collingwood FC teammate and PUMA athlete, Jordan De Goey
Both players wore PUMA branded apparel
The tactics were effective
Coverage was generated across print & online, social and broadcast via Seven, Nine, Network 10, Fox Sports and the Herald Sun. Importantly, the PUMA brand was well represented across all platforms and camera angles.
This opportunistic brand activation is a great example of how a simple and creative PR-led approach can generate mass coverage and reach without the requirement of large media investment.
Scott Pendlebury is one of Collingwood FC’s greatest ever players and the significance of his milestone achievement combined with his contract extension announcement was always going to make headlines.
Recognising this, PUMA effectively prepared to integrate into the announcement in a relevant and value-adding way, and they managed to do this carefully, without hi-jacking the narrative.
The successful execution has helped PUMA strengthen their brand association with Scott Pendlebury.
*The dual presence of Pendlebury and De Goey in the media may have also delivered the added benefit of creating an association between PUMA and Collingwood FC (who are sponsored by Nike).
This stunt is one of many successful PUMA x Bursty PR-led campaigns
Others worth noticing include:
Taking out a full-page ad on the back of The Sunday Times in WA in the lead up to the start of the AFL season to wish Harley Reid “Good Luck Mate”
Paying homage to the trailblazers of female football (the OG’s) during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which generated 457 individual pieces of media coverage resulting in an earned media reach of 98m
Activating and leveraging the incredible challenges and accomplishments of Nedd Brockmann (more on this to come)
Nike is rolling-out their ‘Winning Isn’t For Everyone’ campaign in Australia as part of a broader, global plan to create some positive business momentum
In partnership with QMS, Nike launched an eye-catching campaign (via Mindshare) at a new large-scale 3DOOH site in the heart of Melbourne, becoming the first brand to use the digital screen.
The creative which was developed in partnership with Amplify, activates their partnership with Football Australia and the Matildas, and forms part of a global brand-building strategy.
Nike has been doing it tough lately
This is reflected by:
A decline in previous earnings and future sales growth forecasts
Its share price, which has been steadily declining and recently saw its biggest drop ($27.5b in market cap) since 2001
Losing market share to startups such as HOKA, On and Lululemon who are experiencing remarkable growth
Nike has a bold plan though
The world’s greatest sports brand is viewing the Olympics as a pinnacle moment to 'communicate our vision of sport to the world' (Nike CEO, John Donahoe) and turn things around.
Their new creative campaign is part of a commitment to being 'bolder and more distinctive' and this is being supported by their largest media spend ever.
Coinciding with the Olympics, Nike has:
Launched a new global brand campaign which includes an emotive hero film featuring the world’s biggest stars such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Serena Williams, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kylian Mbappé
Partnered with one of Paris’ most storied landmarks, the Centre Pompidou and transformed it into the ‘Art of Victory’ exhibition
The above 3DOOH campaign forms part of Nike’s global media strategy which has a strong outdoor component
In addition to their hero film, Nike are set to run high-impact OOH campaign ads across key international markets including USA, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, India, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, Turkey and South Africa.
Why have Nike chosen to leverage the Matildas in Australia?
They’re one of Australia’s most loved sports teams
Nike aren’t a sponsor of the Olympics so aligning to the Matildas who are participating is a smart way in
Nike and Football Australia signed a 10-year sponsorship extension last year
Increasingly, brands are advertising on 3D out-of-home billboards because if executed well it can grab attention and leave a lasting impression.
Successful executions can also stretch ads beyond the billboard, and can achieve incremental reach through PR, social and across the internet.
For more 3DOOH inspiration, click here
AFL - Social Media Executive
Bastion - Account Manager PR
Bastion - Associate Creative Director
Bastion - Head of Strategic Partnerships
Bastion - Integrated Account Manager
Callaway Golf - Email Marketing Specialist
City of Gold Coast - Sport Strategy Officer
Cricket NSW - Team Communications & PR Manager - Sydney Thunder
Dann Event Hire - Client Relationship Manager - Sport
Deakin University - Coordinator, Sport Marketing Campaigns
ESPN - Digital Advertising Operations Executive - 12 month contract
Football Australia - General Manager - Strategy and Planning, AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 LOC Office
Football Australia - Head of Workforce Management, AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 LOC Office
Football Australia - Tournament Director
Foxtel Group - Digital Reporter - Fox Sports
Golf Australia - National Program Manager - Schools
Greenroom Digital - Account Manager
JD Sports Australia & New Zealand - Store Communications & Operation Manager
KOJO - Account Director
KOJO - Sports Presentation Producer
M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment - Integrated Designer
Melbourne & Olympic Parks - Operations Manager - Australian Open
Melbourne Storm - Senior Multimedia and Video Producer
MKTG Sports + Entertainment Australia - Event Manager
MKTG Sports + Entertainment Australia - Marketing and Social Media Manager
Motorcycling Australia - Marketing Manager
Netball Australia - General Manager, Corporate Affairs
Netball Australia - Head of Participation
Netball Australia - Senior Partnerships Lead
New Balance - Strategic Key Account Manager - Lifestyle
News Corp Australia - Marketing Executive Sport
North Melbourne FC - Commercial Growth Manager
North Queensland Cowboys - Head of Corporate Partnerships
Nine - Sports Reporter
Nine - Sport Sales Executive
Octagon - Managing Director, Australia
Queensland Cricket - Marketing Executive - Participation
Racing.com - Social Media Specialist
Seven West Media - Sports Sales Executive
Sportsbet - Campaign Manager
Sportsbet - Digital Product Manager
Sportsbet - Social Media Executive
Sports Entertainment Network - Consumer Business Manager
Sports Entertainment Network - Events & Sales Coordinator
Sports Entertainment Network - Events Manager
Sports Entertainment Network - Marketing Partnerships Coordinator
Sports Entertainment Network - PR & Media Manager
Tennis Australia - Content Producer
Tennis Australia - E-commerce coordinator
Tennis Australia - Media Services Assistant
Tennis Australia - Product Operations Coordinator (Partner Activations)
Ultimate Fighting Championship - International Business Development Coordinator
Victoria Racing Club - Commercial Partnerships Lead
Volleyball SA - Events and Marketing Manager
Wests Tigers - Head of Corporate Partnerships
YouGov - Research Executive, Sport
YouGov - Senior Research Manager (Sport)
Not yet a subscriber? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.